How to Write Compelling Copy for Store Listings

Selling products on an ecommerce store as opposed to through a sales page is quite different. On a sales page, you only have one product and you are doing everything you can to make it sound appealing and like a great decision. In an ecommerce store however, you have multiple products and your aim is more to get your visitors to buy something. This means it is actually counter-intuitive to make one item sound too perfect, in case it would be easier for you to convince them to buy something else. It also means you won’t have the space or the time to write a massively long diatribe all about the benefits of your one item. But that said, there are still some similarities between these two modes of selling and there are still some ways in which your sales pitch is going to be similar. Ultimately, this is still a form of persuasive writing. So how do you go about effective persuasive writing? Read on and we’ll look at some good strategies that can help you to ensure your success…

Grab Attention

People are in a hurry these days and this is especially true when they’re online. As a general rule, they simply don’t have time to spend ages sifting through products and if you don’t get to the point quickly, they’re going to look elsewhere. This is why 99% of product listings get to the point fast by selling those key selling points in a compelling list. Start with this so that people know what they’re looking at and why they should care. Then add the additional details further on once you’ve captured their imagination and got them reading.

Sell the Value Proposition

Here is where the most important part comes in: selling the value proposition. A value proposition explains why a product has value to a buyer and why they should be interested in it. However, that doesn’t just mean describing the physical properties or the literal value. Instead, you’re describing the emotional value. How does this make people’s lives better? What will life be like for them once they’ve made a purchase? The old saying goes that you don’t sell hats, you sell warm heads. Likewise, you don’t sell computers – you sell productivity, ease of use and ultimately a better salary. Similarly, you don’t sell a make money ebook – you sell wealth, success and a lack of stress that comes from not having to pay bills!

Make Them Visualize It

If you have an ecommerce store selling physical products, then unfortunately you won’t be able to let your customers pick up the items and see what they’re like in person. What you can do though is to help them imagine them and visualize them. If you listen to someone like Steve Jobs talk about a product in old videos, you’ll notice he always used words like ‘feel’ and ‘touch’. You want to make the product sound real, tangible and most of all – highly desirable.